johnson rare books &amp; archives

PUELLA MEA

Cummings, E.E. (Edward Estlin, 1894-1962)

Mount Vernon, New York: The Golden Eagle Press, 1949. First Edition. Hardcover. The first separate edition. Cummings is one of our best exemplars of the old-fashioned notion expounded by John Keating, the charismatic teacher in the film “Dead Poets Society” (1989), that the chief purpose of poetry is “To woo women.” This extraordinary love poem, the longest Cummings ever wrote was composed for Elaine Orr, his first wife, who at the time of its writing in 1919 was married to another man but pregnant by Cummings. “Harun Omar and Master Hafiz / keep your dead beautiful ladies. / Mine is a little lovelier...” Illustrated with reproductions of drawings and paintings of women by Paul Klee, Picasso, Modigliani, Kurt Roesch, and also one by Cummings (at the beginning of the text). Octavo. Original blue gray paper-covered boards, with a drawing by Roesch stamped on the front panel. The spine is sun faded; otherwise very good. Housed in the publisher's slipcase. Firmage A22. Very good. Item #70343